How to harden your home to reduce successful break in?

[F350-6]

I have a driveway alert. My in-laws have the one from Harbor Freight and they trade it in every year or so when it breaks. Motion detector types don't work for me since the dogs, cats, horses, cows, critters, etc. would set it off. I use the buried magnetic detector. I tried the Mighty Mule and it was intermittent at best. I currently have one made by Dakota and it works wonderfully. Turn the sensitivity all the way up and it will actually go off from someone walking by within a couple of feet of the sensor. It catches a car every time.

Lasts nights storm reminded me of something else about my driveway alarm. Big lightning in the sky sets it off. Smaller flashes don't trigger it, but a big flash does. It also chimes when the power goes out and when it comes back on.

 

[Savage805]

Hello All, I'm new and this is my first post (I hope it is useful). There is a very in depth post about home surveillance systems on Arfcom CCTV cameras 101: **Table of Contents in OP** Updated 14 Sep - AR15.COM

 

[Reelthrill]

I have a condo in Galveston, and have to be able to get windstorm insurance. There is a film you can get to put on windows, 3M for example, and that is on my windows now. No reason you can't put that on your windows anywhere.

 

[35Remington]

Installed the StrikeMaster door reinforcer tonight, as well as a double-keyed deadbolt. The strike master install was easy, and feels very secure. Sure wish they weren't charging $74.30 for two pieces of steel and some screws though. It's about $3 in parts cost.

 

[Flewda]

For anyone who is not wanting to or can't afford to heavy duty reinforce their door, but feels they need a quick and effective way to delay intruders from getting in there's a little trick I saw by a guy on youtube (southernprepper1) that I can't seem to find anymore, but a simple idea nonetheless.

Drill in 4 sturdy eyehooks through the door frame and into the studs behind them. You want two on each side of the door, two up top and two down low. Then take some shorter bungee cords and hook one to the upper right eyehook and latch the other end to the lower left. Do the same thing with another cord hooked into the other two hooks. It's not full proof and won't keep someone out forever, but even if they are able to break the lock or something with force the door swinging open fast will be absorbed with the cords and then snapped shut again. If the perp has a blade of some sort would only delay them a short time (probably much longer if they don't have a blade) but that extra time would be crucial in getting yourself ready for an intrusion.

Anyway, just a thought.

 

[Iamntxhunter]

Simply Safe.
Affordable, customizable, easy set up and wireless.

 

[robocop10mm]

For anyone who is not wanting to or can't afford to heavy duty reinforce their door, but feels they need a quick and effective way to delay intruders from getting in there's a little trick I saw by a guy on youtube (southernprepper1) that I can't seem to find anymore, but a simple idea nonetheless.

Drill in 4 sturdy eyehooks through the door frame and into the studs behind them. You want two on each side of the door, two up top and two down low. Then take some shorter bungee cords and hook one to the upper right eyehook and latch the other end to the lower left. Do the same thing with another cord hooked into the other two hooks. It's not full proof and won't keep someone out forever, but even if they are able to break the lock or something with force the door swinging open fast will be absorbed with the cords and then snapped shut again. If the perp has a blade of some sort would only delay them a short time (probably much longer if they don't have a blade) but that extra time would be crucial in getting yourself ready for an intrusion.

Anyway, just a thought.

That is actually funny. I can just see a burglar kick the door and get the door back in the face!

 

[Flyingswords]

I heard modifying the jamb where the strike plate sits at by replacing the stock small one with a much larger strike plate in size and uses more screws or bigger/longer ones to keep ppl out a tad longer.

 

[ROGER4314]

I posted earlier how my neighbors and neighborhood are the best deterrent against crime and I stand by that. I forgot, however, to include my little Toy Fox Terrier, Jake. The boy is smart and has incredible hearing and a super nose!

I've tried unsuccessfully to sneak up on Jake when he's outside in our fenced back yard. He can be around the corner of the house and 50 feet away and he always detects my presence! It's either smell or hearing, but it's faultless!

One of the best things that I've done with Jake began with our regular Walkees around our yard. First, I had him on a leash but now, we go out and he roams freely. He knows what is "ours" and guards it jealously. When Jake is inside, he doesn't bark at kids playing in the street, knows the UPS driver, Bill and doesn't alert when Don or Tracy, my neighbors come over. How he does that, I'm unclear but he is good....very good! If Jake finally barks, he goes wild and I know to be vigilant. He seldom gives false alarms but he does NOT like the trash service truck or the school bus.

Summed up, a good, well trained and well behaved dog is top of the list for home protection!

You can't expect dogs to know what you want them to do. You must train them!

Flash

 

[35Remington]

^^ So true, Flash. Please tell that to my neighbors.

 

[ROGER4314]

You can't expect dogs to know what you want them to do. You must train them!

Unfortunately, the same is true of children. How does the behavior of the neighbor children compare with that of their dogs?

Flash

 

[hellishhorses]

For the bad guys make it through my death trap of tricycles, squeaky toys & baby gates and gets upstairs without waking the dog and me — they'll have to be 9th degree imperial ninjas. I shot out of bed the other night because my daughters nose was whistling from congestion — she sleeps thirty feet away with her door closed. As a father of two small children, I don't sleep — ever. For break-ins while I'm away, a good thief will find weak spots. A bad thief will see that there's nothing worth stealing.

 

[marshalmatt]

The alligators and mote don't hurt, neither does the pet cobra guarding the safe. Actually, what is important in home security is "layers" of security. Start with the perimeter and work your way in. Keeping shrubs and plants maintained. Most of all, having the home look like someone is there....always. It amazes me how one could, for example, pull up to my house and see 3 trucks and two sedans and a two story house 3 car garage and EVEN CONTEMPLATE a home invasion. You gotta know there is some heavy fire power behind those doors....My belief about home security is take the precautions and don't make it inviting to the bad guys. It seems to me...

 

[ZX9RCAM]

The alligators and mote don't hurt, neither does the pet cobra guarding the safe. Actually, what is important in home security is "layers" of security. Start with the perimeter and work your way in. Keeping shrubs and plants maintained. Most of all, having the home look like someone is there....always. It amazes me how one could, for example, pull up to my house and see 3 trucks and two sedans and a two story house 3 car garage and EVEN CONTEMPLATE a home invasion. You gotta know there is some heavy fire power behind those doors....My belief about home security is take the precautions and don't make it inviting to the bad guys. It seems to me...

What difference does vehicles & home style make?
Everybody drives trucks now days....

 

[hellishhorses]

There are NEVER cars parked in my driveway — even when we are home.

 

[marshalmatt]

No my point is that TEXAS with big families, big house, etc...just seems CRAZY that anyone would assume anything other than to enter at their own peril. When you see a house with 3 trucks parked out front, lights on inside, and, oh, I get it, the crooks are not that smart. LOL

 

[Hoji]

Mean ass pack of dogs works for me.

 

[jjminch]

I heard modifying the jamb where the strike plate sits at by replacing the stock small one with a much larger strike plate in size and uses more screws or bigger/longer ones to keep ppl out a tad longer.

You can actually just use the existing strike plate. Some cops in AZ taught me this and even put on a test with a big ASU linebacker or something. They had him kick down a regular door and he did it with ease. Then they used the same door, but with 3.5" deck screws securing the strike plate. Door couldn't be taken down since it was secured to the jam/stud.

I do this on all my homes, make sure to get a good quality hex head and have a powerful drill.

 

[Aggie Infantry]

Dogs (or dog signs) work - at least according to a prison survey is recall seeing years ago...

 

[ezdaar]

My doors are all re-inforced with 1/8" thick angle iron that's bolted to the framing studs.
Hinges are also bolted to the angle iron.
My strike plate consists on a 3"x 1.5"x 1"ID Nut welded to the angle iron.
All hidden behind the plain looking wood trim.

The doors are solid wood sandwiched with a thin gauge steel skin bolted on. Used trim and pain to make them look like normal wooden doors.

It will take a vehicle born battering ram to get through them.
Windows all have 1/8" thick shatter proof plexi screwed to the window frames (inside), with quick release screw lock limiters to keep them from opening more than 3".
House is walled with red brick.

What you cant see is the motion sensors that activate LED light strips above the windows when you get less than 2 foot from them.
That's only the beginning..

GFL getting into my house.